Category : Alarms

For years, the richest property owners depended on vigilant and reliable watchmen to protect their family and properties. Nowadays, the comparative such security is accessible to practically all property owners with an alarm system. Like the guards, the electrical eyes and ears of a burglar alarm set up are continuously checking for any evidence of an burglar. And, if a burglar is found, the electrical guard triggers an alarm to scare off the burglar, alert the property owners occupants, and call support. In contrast to its human equivalent, the present intruder alarm systems commonly are fairly inexpensive, do not fall asleep, simply cannot be bribed, or is threatened by even the most intimidating of burglars.

Digital burglar alarm systems are effective deterrents. Based on the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, building’s fitted with alarm systems are approximately 3 times less prone to be burgled than those without. Most insurance providers note that fewer burglaries equal reduced claims, provide discounts from 10% to 15% on property owners insurance costs for buildings with security systems.

Is an alarm system right for you? With systems for as little as £500, most people who want alarms can find something that will work for them. Remember that these systems are only part of good home security. Solid doors and locks and the rest of the basics of home security are still important. And just like locks, electronic alarm systems have to be used properly to be effective. Choose a system that fits your budget and your lifestyle.

Alarm System Basics

A basic electronic alarm system includes a low-voltage electronic circuit with contacts provided on entrances and windows. When the current of electrical energy through one of those sensors is interrupted because the door or window is opened, a warning signal goes off – siren sounds or light flashes. Numerous security systems also consist of motion sensors that include significant spaces. When anything moves within a sensors reach, an alarm is triggered. Some security systems are monitored systems – they deliver an alert to a central facility where operators, as a result, inform the police.

Digital burglar alarms come in two primary versions: wired and wireless. As the name suggests, wired alarms have to have running low-voltage early supply wires from a master control panel to sensors on doors and windows, motion detectors, keypads, and sirens. The wires are normally hidden inside walls and in crawl spaces. IFire UK Ltd employs special devices and has developed techniques for getting the wires through the smallest spaces. They can conceal cables and sensors to make the burglar alarm system as concealed as possible.

Wireless security systems use tiny radio transmitters rather than wires to transmit signals between the main control panel and the sensors, so {very little|minimal} {drilling|disruption} and no {special|specialized} tools are {necessary|required} for installation.Wireless systems have the added benefit of mobility: you can easily detach a wireless system and take it with you when you move. IFire UK Ltd installs both kinds of security systems.

Both wired and wireless security systems can be improved with a range of options – from movement detectors that aren’t tripped by children, to remote access that enables you to test the system from a mobile device phone anywhere. It’s easy to get confused by the options and install more than you need or use. Start by assessing what you want the basic system to protect.

Intercoms

By itself or as part of an electronic alarm system, an intercom is one of the most cost-effective home security devices. With it, you can communicate with someone at the door from a safe distance – even out of view of the person – control a buzzer – latch on your gate, monitor a baby or child’s room, or even pipe music through the house.

Intercoms vary in complexity, but all operate on low voltages, stepped down via a transformer from your home’s electrical system. This makes them relatively easy and safe to install. Pay close attention to the instructions that come with the system, however, to ensure your safety.

Unless you are working with new construction, your biggest challenge will be unobtrusively routing or fishing wire from one room to another. With flush-mounted wall components, you also all have to cut into walls but probably won’t have to alter the framing.

Anyone can set up a security company in this country, but there are two bodies in the security industry. The Security Systems and Inspection Board (S.S.A.I.B) and the United Kingdom Accredited Standards (UKAS) – which set standards and controls for their member firms. IFire UK Ltd is a full member of both these organisations.

Whoever you employ should state that the installation and maintenance of the alarm systems they sell conform to the British Standard for intruder alarms in buildings (BS4737)

You can also get details of local alarm installers with a proven track record from the police; contact your local crime prevention officer for advice.

Choosing The Alarm System

The first choice you have to make is whether to have a stand-alone alarm or one linked to a monitoring station. The latter will generally cost more, but gives you the additional peace of mind of knowing that someone will call the police if the system detects a break-in at any time of day or night. Most systems also offer fire protection, and some feature personal emergency pager – worth considering if you live alone and are frail, disabled or in poor health.

The second choice is the system itself. He or she should ask you about how you use your home, should identify any weak points that need additional protection, and should thoroughly explain the system on offer and its components. You can choose from a fully wired alarm system or wireless alarm system.

Specific points to ask about include the following.

Zones – the system should allow you to protect separate zones of the house individually, especially the downstairs at night and rooms where pets sleep (most systems can be set not to react to small creatures). It is useful to have spare zone capacity in case you want to expand the system in the future.

Personal attacks and fire protection – the system should include panic buttons by the front door and in the master bedroom so that you can trigger the alarm even if it is not set. A monitored system offering fire protection is connected to a serious of smoke detectors.

Tamper circuits – the system should be designed to detect attempts at cutting off any of the detection zones or the wires to the external bell box. The more separate circuits it has, the easier it is to find where the tampering has occurred.

Walk test facility – this allows you to check the operation of the detection devices without triggering the external alarm.

Code numbers – modern alarms have a numeric keypad and are set and disarmed by entering a four-digit code which you can select and change at will. Some offer the option of having two or more different codes, allowing one to be used as a temporary code – by a neighbour minding the house while you are on holiday, for example. Some control panels have a separate keypad, allowing you to position the main control panel out of sight – a cupboard, say.

Power supply – ask how the system will be powered, and how much any necessary mains wiring will cost. The ideal is for the system to have its own circuit, which should not be protected by a residual current device (RCD) the case an electrical fault elsewhere in the house cuts its power supply, and its backup battery runs down.

Phone codes changes – in view of the fact that UK national dialling codes may change from time to time, ask what is involved in any necessary reprogramming of a monitored alarm system and who has to pay for the work.

Maintenance

Alarm companies generally encourage you to sign a service or maintenance contract with them, such a contract is mandatory with monitored alarms to cover the cost of the monitoring system service. The police and BS4737 both recommend regular servicing since around 90% of alarms are falsely activated. However, it pays to examine the cost and the length of such a contract; IFire UK Ltd offers always maintains a clear and concise contract policy with all its clients.

If you have a bell only alarm, you’re not obliged to take out a contract with the firm installing unless your house insurance company insists. Whatever service contract you take on, check that what will it be covered in terms of parts, labour and callout charges, especially outside normal working hours. All IFire UK Ltd service contracts include all of those mentioned.

Rent or Buy?

Most firms offer a choice of outright purchase of the equipment or a rental agreement where you buy the circuit wiring but rent the other system components. Purchasing outright is generally the more expensive option, but does avoid the risk of tying yourself to contractual obligations. Beware of unscrupulous security companies who issue rental agreement’s that allows the firm to increase prices at will, often obliges you to agree to a lengthy maintenance contract and gives the firm the right to remove the equipment if a dispute arises over costs or service levels. Here at IFire UK Ltd we always treat our clients with the respect they deserve and never tie them into an unnecessary complex and long contract periods.

To make your home even more secure, fit a burglar alarm.

Wireless Systems

With a wireless alarm system, the various movement detectors and door/window contacts transmit signals to the control panel using radio waves, which greatly speeds up the installation; a typical system will take some three or four hours to fit. However, with most, there is still some wiring to do – linking the external alarm to the control panel, for example, and providing a mains power supply. You can simply plug or wire the alarm into a power socket, but if your house has a residual current device (RCD) protecting it’s power-circuit wiring, you should take the alarms power supply from its own five-amp fuseway in the consumer unit to avoid the slight chance of a tripped off RCD cutting off the supply and draining the alarm batteries.

The main components of a typical system are:

The main control panel (which usually has a backup battery)

An internal sounder

An external bell, often incorporating a flashing strobe light and in some cases a backup battery

Interior movement detectors

Door/window contacts

Panic buttons, which allow you to set off the alarm immediately, even if the system is not itself armed, if an intruder barges past you as you open the front door, or if you hear suspicious noises downstairs during the night. Most panic buttons are shielded to prevent their accidental operation and need a key to switch them off once they have been activated.

Most wireless alarm kits contain only the bare essentials – enough to protect a flat or a very small house. However, this type of system does have one big advantage over wired systems: you can take it with you when you move house. You may also be able to use it to protect garages and garden sheds.

Other features to check when choosing a system include the number of separate control zones it offers to enable you, for instance, to move around upstairs while the ground floor is alarmed, how long a period you have to leave the house after setting the alarm and how quickly you have to deactivate it on your return. Look, too, for the presence of features designed to prevent tampering with the external bell, for example, to cut off the external bell after a preset time and to reset the system automatically after the alarm has sounded. Most systems have a beeper to remind you that the alarm is on when you come home.

Most manufacturers also offer additional options. Including glass break detectors, remote control units, autodiallers (these call a preset telephone number if the alarm is triggered) and smoke detectors.

The most difficult part of fitting a wireless alarm is ensuring that the movement detectors cover as much as possible of the room in which they are installed. Set them in position and test the efficiency with just the internal sounder connected to avoid unduly annoying your neighbours. When citing detectors, try to avoid obvious obstructions to the viewing angle. Do not use them in rooms containing a real fire unless you can screen it from view when you go out; moving flames can trigger the detector. Test the system at least once a year by simulating a break-in and checking the operation of movement detectors.

If you install a wireless system and live near public services that use radio communication systems – police, fire or ambulance station or an airport, for example – check with the kit manufacturer about the possibility of radio-frequency interference.

Also, remember to tell your local authority’s environmental health department that you have installed an alarm, so they know whom to contact in the event of a real or false alarm. If possible, appoint a trusted neighbour as a keyholder. Make sure the keyholder knows how to deactivate the alarm and, if necessary how to reset it.

Wired Systems

Wired alarm systems consist of broadly the same components and offer many of the same features as wireless ones, with the obvious difference that everything is linked by slim wires instead of radio waves, so they cost less; another advantage is that the at any additional components are also much cheaper to buy and than their wireless equivalents. However, the installation can be very time consuming – especially if you want to conceal the wiring everywhere – although it is not difficult so long as you follow the instructions carefully. Allow about a full working day for installation – more if you want contacts on all your windows and doors.

As with wireless alarm systems, you should inform your the environmental health department of your local authority, and appoint someone to act as keyholder if you are unavailable in the event of a real or false alarm. Test the system at least annually.

Alarms For Outbuildings

If you store tools, ladders and the like in a garage or outbuilding, protecting them with their own burglar alarm will give you both peace of mind and also an early warning that an intruder is about. Unless you have a wireless alarm system that can be extended to cover outbuildings, you will need a separate alarm.

Several manufacturers now offer small battery powered alarms which can be attached to the garage and shed doors, and which emit a piercing sound when triggered. Some are key operated; others are operated by entering a code on a keypad.

You could in theory also use one or more of these door alarms as a rudimentary alarm system for your home. The sound of the alarm will act as a valuable burglar deterrent if you are out, and you will give you extra night – time security when everyone is asleep.

For more information or advice on securing your home or business call our office on 0330 121 1234

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